EXCLUSIVE: Fox is developing a potential new incarnation of its Emmy-winning drama series that would have a female lead and take the real-time format of the terrorism-themed original and apply it to a different arena, criminal justice.

The project, which has received a script commitment, hails from 24 franchise executive producers Howard Gordon and Imagine’s Brian Grazer, as well as former The Killing writer-producer Jeremy Doner and the franchise’s production companies, 20th Century Fox TV and Imagine TV. Doner will write the script with Gordon, who ran the original series.

Associated Press

Details about the premise are sketchy, but I hear that the potential new 24 series centers on a female prosecutor who uncovers a legal conspiracy and has to work against the clock to save a death row inmate facing imminent execution whom she had helped prosecute but may be innocent. I hear this is part of an anthological take on 24 that would tackle a new world with new characters each season.

The idea is in line with the plans for the 24 franchise outlined by Fox bosses during the summer TCA in August.

”We are really exploring what the future, the next version of 24 might be, maybe in more anthological storytelling,” Fox chairman Dana Walden said then, with sources at the time indicating the network may develop multiple ideas before deciding which one to proceed with. I hear that still may be the case.

“The same kind of ticking-clock format but apply it to something else,” then-Fox Entertainment president David Madden said at TCA. “It will have the same urgency but may not be set in the CTU, it will have same style and urgency but in a different venue.”

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Imagine has been spearheading the efforts to reimagine the 24 franchise after the end of 24: Legacy. I hear the company brought Doner onto the project and introduced him to Gordon.

This would make the latest reinvention of 24. Four years after the acclaimed original series, created by Joel Surnow and Robert Cochran, ended its eight-season run on Fox, the network aired follow-up event series 24: Live Another Day, featuring the same lead character, CTU agent Jack Bauer, fighting terrorism threats. Fox, Gordon and Imagine then teamed for 24: Legacy, a new installment in the franchise that again was set at CTU but revolved around a new cast of characters, led by Corey Hawkings.

Fox

At Fox, Imagine TV also has flagship drama series Empire and new soapy family drama project Filthy Rich, from The Help writer-director Tate Taylor, which has a put pilot commitment. Imagine and Doner are repped by CAA, with Doner also repped by attorneys Carlos Goodman and Greg Slewett.

Gordon has two put pilot commitments at Fox. One is Classified, an hourlong drama with Marc Guggenheim, and the other is Nightfall, with Sheldon Turner and Jennifer Klein. He also has a medical drama written by Jason Horwitch, and drama Headshot executive produced by Sanaa Hamri, both with script commitment plus penalty. He is repped by WME and Gendler Kelly.

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